Part 3

The road crew had just finished putting the manhole cover back when it was once more knocked ajar by another rear end.

The rhino groaned. "Not another one. Get him out of there." He ordered as he and his colleagues worked to help the new arrival out. "Where are they all coming from?" The man was short and round, wearing an odd brown jacket and trousers with a white tunic. He looked at them all in confusion and a little fear. "Let me guess, you're looking for a beautiful girl too?"

"No," the man replied. "I'm looking for a prince actually…" He looked around. "Ahhh, there he is! Prince Edward! I have come to aid you in your quest!"

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While Porsha went to rehearsal, Giselle followed James and his friends to his office building. He went inside. "Karen, this is…." He looked around and went back outside. Giselle was looking up at the building in awe. "Giselle!"

She jumped. "It's so big! Everything is so big here!" She let him lead her in.

He sighed long-sufferingly. "Giselle, this is Karen, she's the receptionist."

Giselle smiled. "It's very nice to meet you." She followed him to a door. He flashed a card of some sort at a black box by the door and it opened. "Oh!" Magic doors too? There was so much about this world that astounded her.

Jerry whispered to Suki. "Wonder how she'd react to pre-sliced bread." He poked fun at her.

Suki giggled. "Jerry, that's not very nice."

Up in the office, Giselle looked around at the beautiful artwork and statues. James picked up a little black box and pointed it at the reflective piece of glass on the mantle. "Hot News…"

"A magic mirror? Can it show me where Edward is?" She asked.

"It's not a mirror. It's a television," he replied. "And no, it doesn't work that way. Now, I have meetings all morning but Jerry is going to work on getting you home. If I don't get to say goodbye, goodbye." He would be glad to get rid of this childlike woman. There was just something about her that told him he needed to get rid of her before it was too late. Too late for what, he wasn't sure. He rushed out.

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Reluctantly, Edward allowed Nathaniel to convince him that they needed sustenance before continuing on his quest. Where was his sweet Giselle he wondered while he sat at one of the round tables in Crystal Plaza. Strange carriages served the food but even stranger were all of the animals. Walking on two legs and wearing clothes. Including an elephant selling something cold and creamy in odd vessels. Another elephant, wearing a pink hoodie and blue jeans kept trying to approach but every time, she just bought another ice cream. "Oh Giselle…"

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Nathaniel donned a disguise that made him roughly resemble a rat. He could hear his queen calling for him as he looked around the buffet.

"Nathaniel! I'm over here!" He raced over to a chocolate fountain. "Finally! Have you found her yet?"

Nathaniel shook his head. "Not yet, my lady. But fear not, she will not return."

"No, she won't. I intend to be certain that she never returns. Do you understand?" Suddenly, three apples bobbed in the sweet chocolate.

Nathaniel plucked the apples out. "My lady, you mean you… want me to…"

"Nathaniel, don't you see. It's the only way you and I could ever have a happily ever after…" she pleaded. "It won't be hard. Just one bite is enough to drag her into a deep, troubled sleep until the clock strikes twelve. Then she'll be gone. For good… You'll find her at Crystal Entertainment Headquarters across the street." The queen took a brief moment to take a nice, deep smell of the chocolate before vanishing.

Nathaniel was about to leave when he saw a tiny chipmunk out of the corner of his eye.

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James felt as though his head was about to burst out of his skull. He hated these morning meetings with theater producers and directors who wouldn't know a good idea if it beat them in the head. Ahh well, at least by now, that girl should be gone, no doubt on her way to be wed to that prince of hers. A part of him regretted saying goodbye so soon. She was the first person to talk to him without groveling. She genuinely cried for his wife and his loss even though it was fifteen years ago and even then no one else besides his two assistants had shown him any sympathy. And she had a beautiful voice. He could easily make her famous if he wanted to, if she wanted him to. But she was set on getting home and he knew that would be better for all of them.

No, she was surely gone by now. It was time to cut a cigar and pour himself a glass of bourbon and prepare to throw Mr. Moon off the roof when he inevitably failed to secure Calloway.

That plan went out the window when he saw her sitting on his gold couch. He growled. "Jerry?"

"Sir," he ran over and whispered. "She has nothing. No ID, no passport, and this place she comes from isn't in any map database. Andalusia?"

"Andalasia," Crystal corrected his simpering assistant.

"Whatever. It's not a country or city, it's not an island or nation I can find," he typed the name into every map website. "She said it's beyond the Meadows of Joy and Valley of Contentment."

James massaged his temples, his headache getting worse. He shoved a handful of his snacks into his mouth. "Ugh…."

Giselle looked at him. "You're unhappy." She observed.

He looked up at her. "I'm not unhappy… I'm stressed…" He sat down.

"Stressed?" She was unfamiliar with the word. "What is stressed?"

He groaned. "I have way too much to do. I just don't have time to worry about finding you a way home or your prince."

She nodded. "James, you've been so kind to me. You gave me a place to sleep and something to wear and food to eat. I don't want to cause you any more trouble so I'll go. I'm sure I can find Edward on my own. I wish you every happiness." She turned and headed for the elevator.

He watched her get on the elevator and the doors closed before he could stop her. But did he want to stop her?

Suki looked at him. "Sir, are you really going to let her go off on her own?" She asked.

"Suki, she's not my responsibility. I have too much to do," he argued. "If we can't locate her home, let her look after herself."

The Saluki sighed and shrugged. "Alright sir…" She went about her normal duties until he sighed and stood, rushing out.

She got up and went out to the balcony, watching as he found her talking to someone who was selling birdseed.

"Wait, Giselle, you can't go off in this city on your own," he sighed.

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Nathaniel had an interesting conundrum. He somehow had to find the girl, on his own, without Edward. According to his beloved queen, she was near this tall building.

Finally, he was able to distract Edward just in time to send him in precisely the wrong direction. Just in time for him to spot her, in the company of a wolf with pure white fur.

He led her down the sidewalk. "So, tell me about this prince of yours. How long have you known each other?" The well-dressed wolf asked.

"Oh about a day," she said.

"A day? Oh you mean it feels like a day," he interpreted.

She shook her head. "No, it's been a day. And tomorrow it will be two days." She giggled excitedly.

James Crystal had to process that for a few minutes. "Wait, you're going to marry a man you've only known for a day? Because you fell in love?"

She nodded. "Yes!" Her smile was so bright and whimsical. It was strange. "Yes!"

They walked down the sidewalk, earning themselves weird looks. They stopped only once for hot dogs. The way she ate it, her eyes just lighting up at the savory processed meat, made him chuckle despite himself. She was so different from everyone else.

"What about you?" She asked him.

He shrugged. "Me? Well, my wife died fifteen years ago. Porsha was barely two years old." He didn't know why but she made him want to talk about it.

"And you've never thought of… It's so sad to think of someone like you all alone," she said.

James might have gotten angry at the suggestion, but she didn't say it to be mean. "Well, I wouldn't say I'm alone. I do have my daughter. And I have considered asking Suki out. I just haven't been ready to make that move yet."

Suddenly, a chocolate-covered orb appeared before her. "Would you like a juicy sweet, chocolate-covered apple maybe? Free today."

James eyed the odd rat offering the apple to Giselle. "Free?" He asked as Giselle accepted the gift.

"Yessir, today is Free Chocolate Apple day. Tomorrow is free beef… jer…ky…" the rat seemed to be having trouble speaking but they just continued on their way.

"You know, most people date before they get married," he explained. She tilted her head in confusion. "You date. You go out to dinner or go to a movie or you just sit around and you talk."

"What do you talk about?" She asked curiously.

"Well, you talk about yourselves. Your likes, your dislikes, your interests. You know, you talk." How could someone so naive be real?

She laughed. "You have such strange ideas about love." She examined the apple, trying to figure out the best way to start eating it.

"Of course, there's always your way. You meet, have lunch and get married," he laughed with amusement at the absurdity.

She failed to pick up that he was making fun of her. "You forgot about happily ever after."

He shook his head. "Nope, I didn't forget about it. It doesn't exist."

"Of course it does!" She flung her hands out at his insinuation, the apple flew out of her hands.

Nathaniel groaned in frustration as he watched the apple fly and land on the navy blue beret of a tall proboscis monkey who began screaming in pain. He ripped his hat off, a hole forming and a bald spot apparent on his head.

James sighed as he and Giselle continued on their walk. He wasn't even sure why he was there indulging her or where they were going. "Giselle, most marriages are considered successful if they manage not to end. Happiness is not a thing."

"But what about you and Suki? You could both be very happy if you just told her, if she knew," the redhead insisted.

"Knew what?" He asked incredulously.

"How much you really love her," Giselle said.

He shrugged. "She knows, we just don't talk about it…"

"How?" She asked.

"How what?" He repeated the question back to her.

"How does she know you love her?" Giselle sang to his shock. "How does she know she's yours…"

He sighed. "No, no, people looking…" He grabbed her hand. "Come on, let's just walk. It's okay."

They passed a group of calypso street performers. A panther shook a gourd filled with beads. "How does she know that you love her?"

She stopped again. "How do you show her you love her?" She began singing and dancing with the performers. "It's not enough to take the one you love for granted. You must remind her or she'll be inclined to say…"

He could only follow in awe as she sang and danced along their path. She somehow found a group of brides and grooms modeling for a magazine shoot and a small group of elderly dancers.

"Everybody wants to live happily ever after. Everybody wants to know their true love is true," she twirled. "How do you know he loves you. How you know it's true! Well does he take you out dancing just so he can hold you close. Dedicate a song with words meant just for you."

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Edward was starting to give up. She was nowhere to be found. Where was his sweet, lovely Giselle?

"What show are you with?" A tiger in his twenties asked as he sat down with an ice cream.

Edward scratched his head. "I'm not with a show. I'm looking for my heart's duet." He sighed and hit his head on the table.

The tiger nodded. "Yeah, I know how you feel. I've been looking for someone special for a long time." He looked towards a gorilla who was talking with the female elephant. "My heart's duet…. I like that, I'm stealing that."

"No, I'm looking for someone specific. Her name is Giselle and she has long red hair, blue eyes and the most beautiful voice," he sighed. "I've been dreaming of a true love's kiss and a miss I have begun to miss…"

The tiger nodded. "Well I hope you find her. I'll keep an eye out and let her know I saw you if I see her. But if you like to sing, you should talk to Meena and Mr. Moon. Her current partner sucks." He pointed to the elephant and the gorilla.

Edward shook his head in confusion. "How will that help me find…."

"He's your love…." A voice echoed through the plaza and he stood up. "Giselle!" He turned to run after the voice only to run into the big elephant carrying ice cream. It was like hitting a brick wall and he fell to the ground, unconscious, covered in ice cream.

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Giselle carefully wove a bunch of yellow roses into a heart-shaped wreath while James watched her. It took her only a few minutes before she sang, calling a pair of doves to her. "Please, take these to Suki."

He shook his head as the birds flew off. "What? They've never met Suki. How will they know where to find her?" He asked.

She smiled. "You're just going to have to trust me."

It had been so long since he'd just spent a day on the town. He hadn't even answered his phone in hours, even though he knew he should. But she had such a strange way of seeing things that he couldn't help wanting to know her better. She had such a love for life, a love that he realized he'd lost a long time ago. They went on a rowboat ride on the park lake. They took in a few of the cultural festivals and even stopped to see the second act of the Children's Theater production of Rapunzel. He realized he'd forgotten just how much fun a small show could be.

Finally, they reached Crystal Tower hotel. "And this, Giselle, is my flagship hotel. I built this with my own hands." He said with pride.

"Oh my! It must have taken a very long time," she said as he led her through the courtyard and to the backstage area.

"Moon!" She jumped when he shouted and she looked up at the sky. "I hope your return means you have Calloway!" She then saw he wasn't talking about the moon. He was talking to a little koala in a blue suit with a red bowtie.

"Ohhhh! Aren't you just adorable!" She gushed at the koala, earning a light blush at the compliment.

James gestured. "This is Giselle. Giselle, this little guy is Buster Moon. He's producing and directing a show for me."

"Oh! That sounds like fun. What's the story? Oh, I know, Cinderella? No, Snow White?" She asked and both James and Buster laughed.

"No, it's not a fairytale, it's a sci-fi musical called Out of This World," Buster explained. "Porsha is our lead," he pointed to where Porsha was waiting for her turn to rehearse. "And she's looking for a missing space explorer who will be played by Clay Calloway. I'm still working on him, sir. Ash will be able to convince him, I'm sure of it."

"She better!" He grabbed a handful of snacks. "Or we'll find out if koalas can fly."

Giselle waved at Porsha. "Oh it looks like so much fun. What is sky-fi?"

"Sci-fi, it means science fiction," James explained. "Hmmm, Moon, I want you to work with Giselle. Giselle, you can fetch coffee and such, right?"

Buster shook his head. "Sir, I…." He'd just had to fire Darius because he wasn't working out with Meena, replacing him with a strange person that they'd met out in the plaza. James glared at him and he gulped. "Well, I guess I could use some help. If Giselle wants to."

James sighed. "Great. Giselle, you stay here and help Mr. Moon. I'm going back to my office." He turned to leave. However, he didn't make it far before turning back to watch her. He smiled to himself.

AN: Next chapter, Porsha gets fired and Giselle has her first experience with anger.